Collapsible roof for preassembled building

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the invention is to provide a system for usng normal and high pitched roofs for buildings preassembled in boxlike units at a factory and transported to the building site over the highway or other means, wherein low road clearances and other restrictions prohibit the use of assembled units exceeding a certain height and width. The invention permits the roof, which otherwise would exceed the height limitation, to be unfolded after delivery at the building site in such a manner that it will assume the desired position with a minimum of site labor. The system is not limited to any particular structural, roof deck, or roofing material nor to a building of any particular size or number of stories.

United States Patent 1 Chapman 51 June5, 1973 [54] COLLAPSIBLE ROOF FORPREASSEMBLED BUILDING [75] Inventor: Grosvenor Chapman, Washington,

Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-Leslie A. BraunAttorney-John W. Behringer, Eugene L. Bernard, Martin J. Brown et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT The purpose of the invention is to provide a system forusng normal and high pitched roofs for buildings preassembled inbox-like units at a factory and transported to the building site overthe highway or other means, wherein low road clearances and otherrestrictions prohibit the use of assembled units exceeding a certainheight and width. The invention permits the roof, which otherwise wouldexceed the height limitation, to be unfolded after delivery at thebuilding site in such a manner that it will assume the desired positionwith a minimum of site labor. The system is not limited to anyparticular structural, roof deck, or roofing material nor to a buildingof any particular size or number of stories.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJuu 5 I975 SHEET 1 OF 3 F/GJ.

F/G.Z.

3,736QTOB PATENFEDJUN 5 I973 SHEET 2 BF 3 FIG] 9 G I F PATENIED JUN 5I973 COLLAPSIBLE ROOF FOR PREASSEMBLED BUILDING This application isrelated to my prior patent Collapsible Roof for Preassembled Building,Ser. No. 846,551, filed July 31, 1969, and granted Feb. 1, 1972, US.Pat. No. 3,638,373.

The invention will be further described with reference to the attacheddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric birdseye view showing the roof unfolded andraised over two box-like units and gables filled in;

FIG. 2 is a section showing the building with the roof raised;

FIG. 3 is a half section of the roof in position prior to unfolding;

FIG. 4 is a half section of the roof after the first step of unfolding;

FIG. 5 is a half section of the roof after the second step of unfolding;

FIG. 6 is half section of the roof after the final step of unfolding;

FIG. 7 is detail of the cave in final position;

FIG. 8 is a detail of the purlin member;

FIG. 9 is a detail of an alternate perlin arrangement.

FIG. 2 is a section through the completed building illustrated inFIG. 1. The left hand half represents one factory assembled box with itsroof unfolded at the site. The dotted right hand half shows the eventualposition of the other half of the building. FIGS. 2 and 3 show optionalupright m being used for support of the roof during transportation.

Labelled on FIG. 2 are the principal structural components of each frameor truss supporting half the roof, each of which will be sized andspaced according to engineering practice. The members are described asfollows:

a. Lower portion of rafter or truss compression member covered with roofdeck and roofing.

b. Opposing chord compression member.

c. Upper portion of rafter similar to a, supporting ridgepole at i d.Temporary support spaced as required to support half the roof until ithas been connected permanently to the other half of the roof showndotted on FIG. 2.

e. Stop, applied to bottom of member a f. Ceiling joist or tension chordof the truss.

Dotted line c shows an alternate double slope roof design which can beproduced by the same invention.

The following procedure will be used to unfold the roof and raise itinto position (see FIGS. 3 through 6).

Step 1: (See FIG. 3) Slide folded roof, members a and 0, until stop erests against plate j as in FIGS. 4 and 7.

Step 2: (See FIG. 4) Hook grapple around purlin l and hoist untilmembers b fall into place as in FIG. 5 and is secured at point k Step 3:(See FIG. 5) Hoist member c by grappling ridge member i, rotate it abouthinge h and lower it into position shown on FIG. 6, and temporarilysupport it with member d as in FIG. 6.

Steps 4, 5, and 6: Follow the same procedure for the other half of roofat right of FIG. 2, so that members c of both halves are mutuallysupporting.

Step 7: FIG. 7 is a detail at the roof eave after completion of Step 2showing how stop e comes to rest on plate j, automatically locate raftera at the correct position relative to the box unit below. Straps g areshipped already bolted to the ceiling joists f, and after unfolding ofthe roof are secured to each rafter a.

FIG. 8 shows transverse purlin member I which incorporates a ledge uponwhich member b falls into place and rests after member a is raised fromposition FIG. 4 to position FIG. 5. It also details hinge h about whichupper rafter c rotates during the third and final step of unfolding theroof. All roofing material will be applied at the factory, except overthe fold at the hinge, which will be applied at the erection site (showndotted).

FIG. 9 is a detail of an alternate roof form of which the invention iscapable and also shows an alternate hinge which will permit installingthe entire roofing surface at the factory, with flashing used to sealthe step in the roof.

I claim:

1. A preassembled building having a collapsible roof comprising:

a. A pair of box-like structures each structure having a floor, avertical outer wall, a vertical inner wall and a ceiling joist;

b. Said box-like structures abutting at said inner walls;

c. Above each box-like structure a collapsible roof comprising a roofdeck and roofing attached thereon;

d. Said roof deck attached to a plurality of parallel folding trusseseach truss consisting of an upper and lower rafter member;

e. Spaced inwardly from the lower end of the lower rafter an angledidentation;

f. Adjacent the inner edge of said indentation a protruding stop;

g. At the outer edge of said ceiling joist a rest plate;

h. Said rest plate, indentation and stop cooperating to attach saidlower rafter member to said outer edge of said ceiling joist;

i. The upper end of the lower rafter and the lower end of the upperrafter rotatably attached at a purlin;

j. The upper end of the upper rafter terminating at a ridge member atthe top, and abutting the corresponding upper rafter of the oppositebox-like structure;

It. An interlocking compression member, the lower end of the memberattached adjacent the inner wall of the box below;

I. The upper end of the compression member supporting the rafters at thepurlin;

whereby during transit said roofing structure is collapsed onto saidceiling joist.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said upper rafter is steeper thansaid lower compression truss rafter thus making a roof of increasedheight and pitch.

# i i i i

1. A preassembled building having a collapsible roof comprising: a. Apair of box-like structures each structure having a floor, a verticalouter wall, a vertical inner wall and a ceiling joist; b. Said box-likestructures abutting at said inner walls; c. Above each box-likestructure a collapsible roof comprising a roof deck and roofing attachedthereon; d. Said roof deck attached to a plurality of parallel foldingtrusses each truss consisting of an upper and lower rafter member; e.Spaced inwardly from the lower end of the lower rafter an angledidentation; f. Adjacent the inner edge of said indentation a protrudingstop; g. At the outer edge of said ceiling joist a rest plate; h. Saidrest plate, indentation and stop cooperating to attach said lower raftermember to said outer edge of said ceiling joist; i. The upper end of thelower rafter and the lower end of the upper rafter rotatably attached ata purlin; j. The upper end of the upper rafter terminating at a ridgemember at the top, and abutting the corresponding upper rafter of theopposite box-like structure; k. An interlocking compression member, thelower end of the member attached adjacent the inner wall of the boxbelow; l. The upper end of the compression member supporting the raftersat the purlin; whereby during transit said roofing structure iscollapsed onto said ceiling joist.
 2. The structure of claim 1 whereinsaid upper rafter is steeper than said lower compression truss rafterthus making a roof of increased height and pitch.